Merchants Of Bollywood, London

This kaleidoscopic dance and music chronicle of the history of Bollywood has been touring the world since 2005, but it makes its first appearance at the Peacock this month. Written and directed by Toby Gough, it is based on the story of the Merchant family, a dynasty of choreographers who led the evolution of Bollywood into one of the world's largest film industries. It's nominally based around the story of a feud between a young woman and her grandfather as she sets out to pursue a career in the movies, but the story is simply an excuse for the all-singing, dancing, acting cast to cull the best of Bollywood style. Choreography is by Vaibhavi Merchant in a mixture of folk, classical and disco sounds and among the song list are blockbuster hits from the Bollywood back catalogue that include Lagaan, Devdas, Musafir and Dhoom.

Peacock Theatre, WC2, Tue to 5 Jun

Hofesh Shechter: Political Mother, Plymouth & Brighton

Hofesh Shechter, Political Mother. Photograph: Tom Medwell

This latest work from the always fascinating Schechter plays with notions of shock and normality. The former rock drummer has developed into a world-renowned choreographer over the past several years, and this work follows global acclaim for Uprising/In Your Rooms. With a cast of 10 dancers, Schechter orchestrates a surreal chain of encounters, from which ever more absurd, tragic and horrible consequences unravel – each one challenging our sense of what is acceptable and routine. Political Mother promises to deliver raw visceral emotion and fierce structural complexity and comes with a richly layered cinematic score composed by Schecter and performed by a band of live musicians.

Theatre Royal, Plymouth, Sat; Dome, Brighton, Thu & Fri

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui: Babel (words), London

Babel (words). Photograph: Koenbroos

Babel is the final work in a trilogy that Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui began with FOI and Myth and continues his study of culture, race, belief and identity. Here, the choreographer takes off from the moments of crisis and incomprehension that occur when words and language fail. As with the other works, Cherkaoui's co-choreographer is Damien Jalet, but for Babel he also collaborates with artist Antony Gormley, who played a crucial creative role in Zero Degrees and Sutra. Created in a global mix of styles set against a soundscape of voice and rhythms, Cherkaoui maintains his reputation as one of the most visionary choreographers working today.